324. 
under -the plea that it gives employ- 
ment to the poor, they suffer such as 
choose to gather it; hence a great num- 
ber of poor worn-out, half famished 
horses and asses are belaboured about 
the streets; not by old and infirm men, 
‘too aged to pursue more laborious call- 
ings, but by a number of young men 
and lads—I was going to write lusty 
young rogues and vagabonds—who might 
be much better employed: but who, 
through this mistaken parish economy, 
are trained up in idleness, vice and cru- 
_ elty, in all their hideous forms. Indeed it 
is in yain to enact laws for the preven- 
tion of cruelty, so long as practices and 
circumstances are countenanced or per- 
mitted, that naturally lead to such 
frightful habits and dispositions. Let 
the inhabitants of the very extensive 
and populous'parish of St. Mary, Lam- 
beth, cast first this beam out of 
their own eye, and then shall they be 
in a situation to petition, with greater 
effect, the Legislature to abolish cruelty 
towards animals. 
Yours, &c. 
A Lopcer 1n Lamsetu. 
—— 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
Sir: 
A Bruyére, in the twelfth chapter 
of the second volume (p. 105) of his 
** Caractéres,” observes, that “a pre- 
judiced man, who-takes upon himself 
any official situation, is like a blind 
man who attempts to paint; a dumb 
man, who undertakes an oration; or a 
deaf man, pretending to criticize a 
beautiful piece of music:” but adds, 
** these images, however, are faint, and 
but. very imperfectly express the wretch- 
ed and miserable results of prejudice : 
which may aptly be called a pestilent 
incurable disease, infecting, by its jaun- 
diced propinquity, all—equals, inferiors, 
friends, and parents, and even the phy- 
sicians who may venture to approach; 
yea, and however honest and sincere 
may be their endeavours, hardly can 
they prevail with the poor patient to 
adopt the only proper remedies—which 
are, to listen, hesitate, diligently ex- 
ercise the inquiring and more kindly 
faculties of his mind, and thus attain 
intellectual enlightenment; while flat- 
terers, cheats, slanderers, those who 
speak only to promote their own sor- 
did views of self-interest, or to lie, 
“are the’ quacks—the charlatans—who 
speedily gain a willing ear, and use 
‘their influence to poison and destroy.’ 
‘This picture, though’fearful and afflic- 
On Prejudices. 
(Nov: I,- 
tive, is not over-coloured; all that is. 
here predicated is much more fully ap- 
plicable to the dreadful object of dis- 
cussion, and it may, therefore, well 
merit further examination. I there- 
fore hope for allowance to enter fur- 
ther into an investigation of its charac- 
ter, symptoms and diagnostics, without 
accusation of loss of my own time, or 
that of your respected readers. 
Though we must not rashly conclude, 
that all weak and uninformed men are 
therefore prejudiced, it may be laid 
down, as an axiom, that he who is 
prejudiced is, more or less, ignorant 
and weak: but we must endeavour 
carefully to avoid the error of those, 
who (prejudiced themselves) too often 
attribute to perverseness and obstinacy, 
the mistakes which arise only from 
want of information, or of capacity. 
More especially, as a few words will * 
shew that this distinction may be easily 
marked and demonstrated. When, for, 
instance, the brave Saladin, as the in-. 
habitant of a torrid clime, or the more 
domineering Algerine, refuses credence 
to the story of the iceberg, it is not to 
the score of prejudice that this is to be 
attributed ; and when. the uneducated 
British mechanic (though the time is 
fast approaching when this observation 
will lose its point) doubts when told 
that two impalpable gases, in union, 
produce water; or that lightning may, 
by human agency, be conducted from 
the clouds—his incredulity is but an 
evidence of that prudence and caution, 
which, in other cases, may protect him 
from the machinations of fraud and_ 
deceit. But actual proof, or lucid ex- 
planation being afforded, if they still 
adhere to their scruples, we are entitled 
to regard them, in nearly similar ac- 
ceptations, as superstitious, or as pre- 
judiced. 
We must know, therefore, what are 
the opportunities of acquisition pos- 
sessed, both as to means and extent, 
before we adjudge that such and such 
persons are-prejudiced. On this view, 
much that is erroneous and ridiculous 
in judgment and in taste, may be to- 
lerated among those whom we call bar- 
barian, savage, or half-civilized ; which, 
in European nations, where social im- 
provement, and the benefits of educa- 
tion, expand the heart and mind, would 
justly be deemed inexcusable. Thus it 
is that the French Censcr (p.98) has 
so bitterly rebuked his countrymen for 
their grotesque wonder at the natives 
of Siam, who, vested in the sacred 
character 
